The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-28
The Thistle Beaten Worse than
Genesta and Galatea.
IT WAS THISTLE WEATHER.


windward Better than q Deep Boat
Amer All-Tho Better Quartermaster at
tho Volunteers wheel-There's No Doubt,
However. About tho Thistle Beins the
Best Cutter In the world-The seotchmeu
Think that their Paint Must have Bills
tered their Boats Enamellcd Bottom-
Capt. Barr steered for the Thistle and
Capt. HaG for tho vslunteer-Both BoatS
BIanketod. bat tho Volunteer Most.
Not since that day in August thirty-six
years ago. when the grand old yacht bearing
the proud name Of America sailed around the
Isle OF Wight, distancing the feet Of the Royal
Yacht Squadron, and won the cup which now.
as the emblem OF yacht superiority, bears the
name OF tho schooner that won 1t. has such q
victory been won by any American over any
foreign competitor as the peerless Yankee
sloop yacht Volunteer won over the peerless
Scotch cutter yacht Thistle yesterday. This
race was the first Of series to be sailed for
tho Americas Cup by these two yachts. the
best two in three to win.
The route to be followed was the regular
New York Yacht Club regatta course, some
times called the inside course. The yachts
started utter O tedious wait for wind of Owls
Head. inst below Bay Ridge. A light southerly
air famed in through the Narrows. The
Thistle. especially designed for light airs and
famous for her light air victories on the other
side. was in her element II she was ever to be.
The boats got away beautifully. and although
the Volunteer BY her superior tactics got the
place Of advantage-thew weather quarter Of her
opponent-there was nothing to prevent the
beautiful and Observation-Disclosures from
running away II she were able.
The trouble with the Thistle was that she
wasn't able. Soon after crossing the line abe
broke tacks. That is, they were heading as
they had started. on the starboard tack. to-
ward Staten Island and the Thistle came
about and headed for Long Island. It was q
mistake and her skipper soon saw 1t and went
about again ON the Same tack with the Volun-
teer From that moment she was o !rhinned
boat. There were flaws and Aukes, but each
boat got it's share. and the result was on the
whole that the Volunteer steadily gained as
long rs the boats had to soil close hauled. The
course down the bay was the one always fol-
lowed by the larger steamers. They tackled
down to the Southwest Spit, getting change
in the course of the wind that helped the
Thistle on the way. The Volunteer had gained
wonderfully. Once around the first turn.
head her course to pass the next turn at Buoy
sk, while the Thistle was obliged to make q
tack In order to weather this mark.
This shows that the Volunteer was able to
point better than the Thistle. Once around
this point, the wind was bit free until the
point Of the Hook was passed. and then 1t was
full and by with q rap full" to the light
ship. an expression which sailors use to ex-
press the fact that boat is sailing as near to
the wind as possible and keep every thread
drawing.
The Volunteer continued to gain. In fact,
after she had turned the lightship she met the
Thistle moro than mile west Of that mark.
and shook out her jib topsail as II to wave q
farewell to her as they passed.
Once around the mark. the Thistle. as all
other cutters have done, gained somewhat on
the feet sloop; but 1t was hopeless chase. and
at 5:28:16k O'Clock the Volunteer crossed the
line winning by 10 minutes 23% seconds,
corrected time. -.
The race between the Genesta and the Puri-
tan over the course followed by the two yachts
yesterday was sailed on Sept. IA. 1885. starting
at 1882 exactly. The following table gives the
result Of the race:
Start. Finish Elapsed Corrected
Puritan. 1882 90 1896 8O8OS 6:O8:Uo
Genesta......... I0:sa:OO 4:54:52 62253 s:22:24
After making the proper allowance to the
Genesta on account Of the Puritan's greater
size. the Yankee won by 16 minutes 10 seconds.
The race between the Mayfower and the
Galatea over this course occurred on Sept. z.
1885. This table gives the result:
Start Finish. Elapsed. Corrected
Mayhower...-.Iotsel2 4225s 52e:4 5:2eai
Galarea........Io;oeII 4s5s2 6:se:2I 6:ss43
After proper allowance was made the May
flower won by ~ minutes and seconds.
Here are yesterdays figures:
Start. Fntsh. Elapsed Corrected.
Volunteer. IL ;5sI 5:2sle4 4:5shs 4:6shs
Thistle. IL Oe S:45:o2N bl2ae4 5I2aIA
After making correction for allowance the
Volunteer won by 10 minutes 2s1 seconds.
Thus it appears that the Thistle was beaten
worse than the two cutters, which. according
to the cutter men. were not typical cutters.
Yesterdays race was the first OF the series
for the Americas cup. The date for the next
race Is tomorrow Thursday This is called
the outside race. because 1t is a race sailed
wholly out to sea. The yachts. II the wind
favors and no accidents intervene. will start
from either the Scotland Lightship or the Sandy
Hook light. according to the way the wind
blows. Thus. II the wind is blowing from the |
northeast or northeast by east. they will start |
from Scotland Lightship and tack out into the |
eye OF the Wild II 1t should be from the